Rap music fans in Florida and elsewhere may recall an incident that occurred last year involving a rising star in the industry. U.S. immigration law problems arose for artist 21 Savage when he was taken into custody by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers. The rapper emigrated from Great Britain to the United States as a child.
ICE arrested 21 Savage last year, accusing him of overstaying his visa. If an immigration court were to sustain the formal charges, he would likely be deported and banned from returning to the United States for at least a decade. Numerous people, including rock superstar Jay Z, stepped in to advocate for 21 Savage’s release from detention. In mid-February, 2019, he was released on a bond.
There is currently a substantial backlog in U.S. immigration court cases. It could potentially take years to resolve 21 Savage’s case, as well as the cases of many others facing similar issues. The rapper has said that he was brought to the United States as a child, at the age of 7, but also says he left for a month in 2015 and reentered with a valid visa. However, his attorney says that 21 Savage also applied for a U visa as a victim of a crime, though further details regarding that statement were not reported.
Many U.S. immigration law cases involve adults at risk for deportation who were brought to this country as children. Some have lived here all their lives, have gone to school, married and raised families of their own. Anyone in Florida worried about a legal status because of similar issues may request a consultation with an experienced immigration law attorney to reach out for support.
